I’ve been in ministry for 37 years. My oldest daughter is a playwright and actor. My youngest daughter is vocalist. I began my college with a full theatrical scholarship and I’ve been writing poetry since I was a junior in high school.
I say all this merely to give my perspective. So here are my opinions (for whatever they are worth — feel free to trash ‘em!).
First, I love your post. Thanks! And the metaphor of Jacob wrestling with God is very appropriate and well chosen.
Second, I give to you what I suggested to my oldest daughter to consider. It was from the forward of Dave Barry’s novel Big Trouble. He said something like this, “Some of my characters use adult language. I did not necessarily want the characters to use this type of language; some of them just went ahead and did. That’s how some characters are.” That’s how I would explain it!
I would ask myself, does the language depict real life — is it required here? Or is it just for shock value without a particularly good reason?
Third, write good stories. Your Christianity and your values will shine through. I believe this was Lewis’ and Tolkien’s points. Don’t try to write “Christian fiction” (you’ve already mentioned this yourself). Stephen Lawhead is a good example, too. Dean Koontz and Stephen King (I do not know their religious beliefs or lack thereof) write incredibly good stories that clearly depict good and evil (may I recommend the very foul mouthed young heroine in King’s The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon? — a lot of good theology to mine there!). Their stories teach and resonate — partially because they are just good stories.
The problem with so many “Christian” novels, art, and movies is they are just morality tales or sermons wrapped up in a story. It makes for bad preaching and very bad storytelling.
Wow. Did I just do this? Did I really give a three point sermon? Aaaaggghhh! (Sorry. Well at least I didn’t add a poem…) B^D
Write! Write! Write! Write from your heart and write what seems real. Don’t worry too much about what others think. Stay true to your values and you’ll do fine. Oh, and keep up the wrestling — as long as it’s God you’re wrestling with, you’ll be fine. It just means you’re still hanging on to him! (You may end up with a limp, but…)
